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SOD has a new feature called "Story Teller" in which actors weigh in on what's happening onscreen. Alison Sweeney (Sami) was featured this week and I figured people would be interested in this based on the comments in several threads.

On What It's been Like Playing This Story:

"Extremely difficult. I think Galen [Gering, Rafe] has done a really amazing job of not tipping his hand, which would've been the giveaway of the whole story and made Sami look really stupid. He's done a really good job of being just convincing enough that she has every reason not to be suspicious of that, of what really is happening. And Dena [Higley, head writer] did an amazing job of giving Sami the out of the accident to blame herself and blame the accident on his changes, which explains a lot. It really does happen. There are head traumas that could completely change your personality. For her, it's not completely unbelievable. And obviously, given her history and her feelings and her guilt of what she did yet again-hurt the man she loves and wants to spend the rest of her life with-it's going to certainly color how she looks at the situation. She's not going to be objective. I think the story is an interesting one and definitely fun to play and challenging. I think it's one of those delicate instances that if Galen wasn't pulling his weight and doing such an amazing job, it would have flopped. It's definitely riding on his shoulders and I think he's doing a killer job with it. I think the way they wrote it is a big part of why it has been a success for us to play and I hope the audience feels the same way, but it's definitely hard for me because it's weird. You are still working with the same person-it's still Galen-but it's a very different dynamic that you have to have, and I was really nervous about it going into it. It's always something I have to remind myself: It's not Rafe. You have to play that. Deep inside, she feels it. She's not attracted to him the way she was and that's the story we tell of true love in soaps; some part of your heart does know. Sami's never been super-great at listening to her inside voice, though."

On Feeling Pressure To Not Make Sami Look Stupid:

"Of course. I definitely don't want to make her look stupid, but more than that, I feel a responsibility that Sami has always been this person who had a plan. Whether it's good or not, she always had an active choice and I feel like it's been hard to play this storyline for a while, because she's not that character right now, and I've definitely had to adjust that. With this story, she's finding a little of that personality again in a way, even though she doesn't know what's going on. She's still making choices, trying to fight her way through it, which is more the Sami you know and the Sami I'm used to playing. The distance she feels with Rafe is going to help her maybe not lean on him so much and maybe depend on herself more like she used to when she was alone."

On What Will Happen with Sami and EJ At The End Of This:

"Ultimately, I think this story has a lot of potential for where it's going to go and what's going to happen when she finds out EJ's role in it. I don't know how she won't feel guilty that she didn't know. As an actor, you're waiting for the script because you don't know how they're going to play it. It's so funny, because we're sort of like the fans, except we get to see it before they do. We're still trying to interpret what we see on the page and that's complicated, because for me, I worked really hard not to play that she was getting raped. I don't think she feels like she's being raped. So I was working really hard to play against that in scenes. But I feel very strongly that when the truth comes out, that's certainly going to be a big part of it."

On How She Feels Going Down That Road Again:

"I have been sort of famously Switzerland in trying to stay out of it from the story that happened a long time ago [where EJ forced Sami to have sex with him in 2006), because there were people feeling very passionately one way or the other. But in the end, if you're going to say that Sami is an attempted murderer for shooting EJ, which is absolutely the crime she committed, whether she got convicted for it or not, that is what charges would have been filed for; if EJ was facing charges, they would be for rape for hiring this guy. There is no question in my mind. Certainly, the argument that they've done terrible things to each other is valid, too, but it doesn't make the crime not true."

On Rafe as Rafe II:

"It is so annoying. I like Galen a lot and he's fun to work with and always makes me laugh. He's been walking a very delicate balance and doing a great job on camera, but this isn't as natural for him as the other character, so he holds on to it a little bit more and works on it between scenes in rehearsal in a way that he isn't when he's Rafe. So for me, it's good, because it keeps me in that place as Sami of not being super-comfortable with this guy and forcing herself to touch him. But when we're done with our scenes, I'm like, 'Can you stop being Rafe II now, please? It's annoying.' And he knows that. We have had more fights because of this than we ever had, but I totally get it. I want to be a good scene partner and we work together as well as we ever have to make it the best we can, and I totally support his process and what he has to do, but a part of that is me being contrary, and to that point, these people are at odds and in some ways that has translated to the dynamic between us. For example, he's make a joke bigger than what you could ever really say on TV, an inappropriate slimy comment that Rafe II would say in rehearsal and he'll get the crew all snickering and I'll get all indignant like, 'It's not that funny. Stop it.'"

On Looking Forward To How It's All Going To Play Out:

"It's something that sits in your mind the entire time you're playing the storyline-the ending and how it's going to unfold and how she'll think and feel."

I think the way they wrote it is a big part of why it has been a success

No.

Quote:

...the audience feels the same way

We don't.

Quote:

I definitely don't want to make her look stupid

She does.

Quote:

I think this story has a lot of potential

No.

Quote:

As an actor, you're waiting for the script because you don't know how they're going to play it. It's so funny, because we're sort of like the fans, except we get to see it before they do. We're still trying to interpret what we see on the page and that's complicated

Translation: "We're just as confused by the dumb ass stories on this show as the fans are."

I thought she did well here. She didn't try to whitewash Sami shooting EJ. She actually was pretty strong in her response to the EJ question.

I agree with her in that it was smart to give Sami an out in regards to the accident. That is why I disagree that she looks stupid. No one would ever expect that their spouse has been replaced by an evil twin LOL. She has been suspicious since day one and has been active in trying to get to the bottom of it. She feels like Sami again. She's not just sitting around. she's sought out family, friends, etc. It's finally put Sami and Rafe in a classic soap couple plot and they are no longer isolated in a bubble. The accident is what gives her something to hold on to. It makes her think that it has to be that. I think they set this up very well.

I hope the "rape" issue plays strongly like she said it would when the truth comes out.

Not surprised about her comments regarding Galen. I remember MW used to say the same thing. If he's doing intense work, he throws himself so much into it that he can be hard to be around at times. Sounds like it's happening here too.

Also, the rehearsal comments were interesting since many on here believe they don't do that. I've seen that come up in many interviews lately. I pretty much posted this for those comments alone.

"It is so annoying. I like Galen a lot and he's fun to work with and always makes me laugh. He's been walking a very delicate balance and doing a great job on camera, but this isn't as natural for him as the other character, so he holds on to it a little bit more and works on it between scenes in rehearsal in a way that he isn't when he's Rafe. So for me, it's good, because it keeps me in that place as Sami of not being super-comfortable with this guy and forcing herself to touch him. But when we're done with our scenes, I'm like, 'Can you stop being Rafe II now, please? It's annoying.' And he knows that. We have had more fights because of this than we ever had, but I totally get it. I want to be a good scene partner and we work together as well as we ever have to make it the best we can, and I totally support his process and what he has to do, but a part of that is me being contrary, and to that point, these people are at odds and in some ways that has translated to the dynamic between us. For example, he's make a joke bigger than what you could ever really say on TV, an inappropriate slimy comment that Rafe II would say in rehearsal and he'll get the crew all snickering and I'll get all indignant like, 'It's not that funny. Stop it.'"

I'm always interested to hear the actor's views on a storyline. This story is pretty controversial when looking at it from the bedroom perspective. And I'm proud of AS for not sugar coating it this time. I think GG has done a fabulous job with the crazy storyline and it gives us some hint for what to potentially expect down the line when it all blows up. Bring it on!!!

" I feel a responsibility that Sami has always been this person who had a plan. Whether it's good or not, she always had an active choice and I feel like it's been hard to play this storyline for a while, because she's not that character right now, and I've definitely had to adjust that."

I love that she has finally said something about this! Sami used to act, not just react. But for the last several years she has been following the men's lead.

I am glad that Ali took a strong stance on this and said what I and lots of viewers have known all alone I love what she had to say that both times from 2006 and now with the imposter Rafe is rape.

I hope this time EJ is punished for truly punished for this and goes down for the last five years of hurting Sami and her family I hope that EJ winds up losing everything and winds up with nothing and winds up being steril and has no kids and that the kids are Lucas and that he is not a Dimera. If he winds up getting shot again which he lI hope he winds up perminently dead for real this time.

The shot that EJ took to the head he had coming due to what he did to Sami and her family over the last five years. I am truly proud of Sami and proud Sami took a stand against her rapist for what he did to her and her family. I just want to see justice served at long last for Sami and her family. I been wanting that for over five years now on what was done to Sami and her family over the last five years at EJ's hands and for this to be finally over at long last and for EJ to be punished for everything he did over the last five years to Sami and her family.

I'm glad Ali finally took a stance, climbed off that fence that she perched herself on around 2007 and said what many people have been saying. I have been wondering what would lead to this huge reversal in the status quo on this story particularly this year. Maybe they finally realized they can't sweep it under the rug (the first one) so they decided on this story to bring it All out in the open again so they can finally deal with it. I hope this thread doesn't get closed down, everyone should have the right to express themselves and debate why Days would change something that the actors and characters agreed never to mention again.

" I feel a responsibility that Sami has always been this person who had a plan. Whether it's good or not, she always had an active choice and I feel like it's been hard to play this storyline for a while, because she's not that character right now, and I've definitely had to adjust that."

I love that she has finally said something about this! Sami used to act, not just react. But for the last several years she has been following the men's lead.

Yeah but after she said that she said that Sami is showing signs of being that Sami. Her answers during that part of the interview were the worst part IMO. She went from saying the story was forcing her character to be out of character to saying it was bringing out the Sami everyone knows. Which is it? LOL

Anyway, I didn't sense an issue with the writing here. She clearly was worried at the start. She may not like the story but I think that is just an opinion in regards to the type of story it is and not necessarily a critique on the writing. She was complimentary about the out given to her character among other things.

I don't think AS likes Dena Higley that much (goes back to the infamous 2008 Ed Scott debacle) but I don't think she has any issue with what has been given to her. She seems more into what she is doing now. A year ago at this time, she seemed lost and seemed to have an issue IMO. Since September, she has seemed more comfortable and her performances have been better. I know I'm in the minority on that though.